Elevate Training Dunedin

Meet our new coach - Dani 🤩

Having spent most of her life in the gym, Dani’s transition into the fitness industry was a natural one. Currently completing her Level 5 Exercise studies with a background in Public Health, she focuses on making the “why” behind every movement just as clear as the “how.”

Her mission is simple: to strip away the intimidation of the gym and help people actually enjoy the process. Dani believes that when you find the fun in moving, the results take care of themselves.

Dani thought it important to note that when she isn’t coaching, she is a professional café hopper and an avid enthusiast of a good brunch. If you need a recommendation for the best flat white in the city, you’ve been warned - she has a very long list!

We are so excited to have you be a part of the community at elevate 🎉🥳

What an awesome way to close out the year 👌

Thank you to everyone who showed up for our final class of 2025.
Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of the community in 2025.
You are all what makes elevate such an awesome place to be at.

I hope to catch you in the gym for ‘Open Gym’ during the break and we will see you all in 2026 when we run it back all over again 😎

Have an amazing summer break ☀️!

📢 We’re Hiring! Join the Elevate Coaching Team

We’re on the lookout for a passionate new coach to join our amazing community.

At Elevate, we specialize in small group fitness with two key programs:
💪 Force – a strength-focused program.
🔥 Pulse – a high intensity cardio program.

We’re looking for someone who:
✔️ Has experience coaching in group fitness, strength and/or CrossFit-style training
✔️ Brings great energy, leadership, and communication skills
✔️ Can inspire and support people of all fitness levels
✔️ Wants to be part of a tight-knit, positive community

📍 Based in Dunedin
⏰ Flexible hours (part-time with potential for growth)
💥 Competitive pay + amazing opportunities to grow your PT business

If this sounds like you — or someone you know — send us a message or email to
[email protected]
with your CV and a bit about yourself!

We look forward to hearing from you. 💙

✨ Member Spotlight✨

• What’s your name, and how long have you been training at elevate?
Paulita, and in June it will be 4 years.

• What made you first join elevate?
Health issues and a breakup up. I needed a distraction and fell in love after my first session of Woman’s CrossFit. I met amazing women and made strong friendships.

• What do you love most about training here?
That we have 3 different types of training. CrossFit and Force are my favourite. Hyrox is too much cardio 😃. I enjoy lifting weights and getting stronger.

• What’s one thing you’ve achieved since starting that you’re proud of?
That I can do Handstand push ups at my age. Loved it as a kid and I get super excited when they come up in a workout.

• How has training here impacted your life outside the gym?
I got my health issues under control and I feel great after training. I hated going up hills, now I don’t mind them at all.

• What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining?
Give it a crack. Elevate and all the members are welcoming. And we love our Saturday sessions with coffee and brekkie after to get to know our new members. We wanna know all about you.

✨ Member Spotlight✨

• What’s your name, and how long have you been training at elevate?
My name is Helen Sibbe - I’ve been training at crossfit /elevate around 10 years.

• What made you first join elevate?
Someone suggested I join so I did. I was really nervous and a little skeptical but quickly realised it would work for me.

• What do you love most about training here?
I love that I don’t have to do anything except turn up - Its planned, it’s structured , it works within a positive and supportive environment . The coaching team are great at teaching technique to improve performance.

• What’s one thing you’ve achieved since starting that you’re proud of?
I’m really proud that at my age I maintain personal bests by setting realistic goals, developing healthy habits with a positive (mostly!) mindset.

• How has training here impacted your life outside the gym?
The physical benefits makes everyday activities trouble free and has a significant impact on my mental wellbeing

• What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining?
Do it today - it works.

✨ Member Spotlight✨

• What’s your name, and how long have you been training at elevate?
My name is Emma and I have been training at elevate roughly 2 years!

• What made you first join elevate?
I joined elevate when I was new to Dunedin, pregnant and needed an inclusive environment to train in.

• What do you love most about training here?
I love the atmosphere at elevate and Tim who is so encouraging to all his members.

• What’s one thing you’ve achieved since starting that you’re proud of?
One thing I am proud about was safely training my whole pregnancy/postpartum and have managed to achieve getting back down to my pre pregnancy weight.

• How has training here impacted your life outside the gym?
Training at elevate has helped with my transition to Dunedin and helped me gain back confidence in many areas of my life, especially in social settings.

• What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining?
Don’t be off put by the idea of CrossFit, it can be tailored to whatever level of fitness you are at. It’s such an amazing gym to be apart of.

✨ Member spotlight ✨

My name is Jefferson Franca, and I’ve been training at elevate for about one and a half years now.

* What made you first join elevate?
I wanted a real challenge and a supportive environment to push my limits — and elevate delivered exactly that. I loved the community vibe from the moment I walked in. I found great recommendations for the business online.

* What do you love most about training here?
The people, hands down. The coaches are incredibly knowledgeable (shoutout to Tim!), and the community is so welcoming and motivating. Every workout feels like you’re part of something bigger.

* What’s one thing you’ve achieved since starting that you’re proud of?
Qualifying for the 2024 New Zealand CrossFit Championship! It still feels unreal to say that, especially considering I started CrossFit just a year before the qualifiers.

* How has training here impacted your life outside the gym?
It’s completely changed my mindset. I’m stronger physically and mentally, more disciplined, and more confident in every part of my life.

* What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining?
Just start. You don’t need to be fit to begin — you just need to show up. elevate will meet you where you are and help you become stronger than you ever thought possible.

Unilateral Leg Work: Unlock Your Strength and Stability 🦵💥

Unilateral leg exercises, like single-leg squats, lunges, and step-ups, are essential for building balanced strength, improving mobility, and preventing injury. Training one leg at a time helps identify and address muscle imbalances, correct postural issues, and boost stability.

By focusing on each leg individually, you:

✅ Correct Imbalances: Many athletes have one leg that’s stronger or more dominant than the other. Unilateral work helps even out these discrepancies, ensuring better overall performance.

✅ Increase Core Activation: Balancing on one leg engages your core to stabilize your body, strengthening the muscles that support your spine and pelvis.

✅ Enhance Joint Health: Single-leg movements reduce the load on your joints, helping to improve range of motion and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

✅ Boost Coordination and Balance: As you challenge each leg independently, you improve your neuromuscular coordination, which translates to better performance in dynamic movements.

In our Force classes we emphasize the importance of unilateral leg training for well-rounded strength and injury prevention. Make it part of your routine to see big gains!

Mastering the Handstand Walk: Tips for Progress 🏃‍♀️💨

The handstand walk is one of those movements that looks impressive, but it also takes serious strength, balance, and coordination. Whether you’re aiming for your first step or looking to refine your technique, these tips will help you make progress on the journey!

Here are some key tips to practice and improve your handstand walk:

1️⃣ Build Strong Foundations with Wall Work
Start with wall handstands to build confidence and shoulder strength. Hold for time and practice kicking up into the handstand with control.

2️⃣ Engage Your Core
A tight core is crucial for stabilizing your body and maintaining balance. Think of pulling your belly button toward your spine and keeping your glutes active.

3️⃣ Focus on Hand Placement
Your hands should be placed about shoulder-width apart, with your fingers spread wide for better grip and balance. Point your fingers slightly forward, not outward.

4️⃣ Kick Up with Control
Kicking up into the handstand should be smooth and controlled. Use a slow, deliberate motion to avoid over-committing and losing your balance.

5️⃣ Start with Short Walks
Don’t worry about going far at first. Focus on small, controlled steps. Gradually build distance as you improve your stability and comfort upside down.

6️⃣ Stay Relaxed
The more tense you are, the harder it will be to stay balanced. Keep your body relaxed but engaged, focusing on making small, controlled movements as you walk.

7️⃣ Practice Consistency
Like any skill, the key to mastering the handstand walk is consistency. Spend a few minutes each day practicing, and you’ll see steady improvement!

Remember: progress is about patience, practice, and trust in the process!

Metabolic conditioning: The Foundation of Performance 🏃‍♂️💥

When we train, we love to push the intensity—and that includes going hard in our metcons and WODs. But don’t forget that aerobic endurance is just as crucial to success in the gym. Here’s why:

✅ Improved Recovery: Aerobic training helps your body clear metabolic waste (like lactic acid) more efficiently, speeding up recovery between high-intensity efforts.

✅ Increased Work Capacity: Building a solid aerobic base allows you to sustain effort longer, whether it’s grinding through a 20-minute AMRAP or powering through multiple rounds of heavy lifts.

✅ Better Efficiency: Aerobic conditioning teaches your body to use oxygen more effectively, which can help reduce fatigue during intense workouts and improve your overall stamina.

✅ Injury Prevention: Aerobic endurance promotes joint health, increases blood flow to muscles, and enhances mobility, helping to reduce the risk of overuse injuries in CrossFit.

✅ Mental Toughness: Long, steady-state aerobic work builds resilience, teaching you how to push through discomfort and stay focused during longer WODs or endurance challenges.

At elevate, we understand that well-rounded athletes are built through a combination of strength, power, and endurance. Keep building your engine, and your performance will follow!

Ring Dips: Strength, Stability, and Control 💪

The ring dip is a powerhouse movement that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps, while also challenging your core and stabilizing muscles. Unlike bar dips, the instability of the rings forces your body to engage more muscle groups, helping improve both strength and coordination.

✅ Upper Body Strength: A great exercise for building pressing power in the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
✅ Core Activation: Holding steady on the rings requires serious engagement from your midline.
✅ Shoulder Stability: Regular practice improves shoulder mobility and control, key for injury prevention.
✅ Progressive Movement: Whether you’re scaling it down or going full range of motion, ring dips can be adapted for all levels.

At elevate, we love seeing athletes progress on this challenging movement and it is a common feature in our current training cycle.

Keep pushing, stay controlled, and trust the process! 🙌